The present invention relates to a mooring device and more particularly to a mooring device adapted for use on a dock or with a floating buoy.
Mooring devices of various sorts are of course well known. One of the simplest mooring devices is a common metal loop attached to a buoy or dock and adapted to receive mooring lines which are manually tied thereto. Tying such knots consumes time and may be difficult should the water be rough in the vicinity of the mooring device.
Typically, an approaching craft lowers a dinghy for the final approach to the buoy. The person manning the dinghy carries with him a mooring line for connection to the buoy. Obviously, at least two persons are required for this operation, one to pilot the craft and the other to man the dinghy. Moreover, in high wind/wave conditions, it is extremely difficult and sometimes dangerous for the person in the dinghy to maintain his own position relative to the buoy while at the same time attempting to control the drift of tne larger craft and of course to actually secure the mooring line to the buoy.
It is also known to dispose a loop formed on the end of a mooring line over a cleat fastened to a dock. The use of such cleats, however, requires that the loop be manipulated around the horns of the cleat, usually one at a time, and once in place, the loop is often chafed by interaction with the cleat caused by the movement of the moored boat.
Mooring devices are also known as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 1,958,535 issued to Harman P. Elliot. Such mooring devices have, however, relied on hooks to resist the forces exerted by a loop formed in a mooring line. Mooring loops have been known to come free from such hooks and latch means have been provided on the hooks in an attempt to mitigate this problem. As more experienced boaters are aware, however, even safety latches are not totally secure and most knowledgeable persons recommend against total reliance thereon.